Keep up to date with all things astronomy related with Astronomy Now magazine, which includes the UK's biggest and best night sky guide, an extensive news section, readers' astronomical images, book and equipment reviews, feature articles, a beginners' section and much more. For a sneak preview of this month's issue go to our magazine page.

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Shuttle Movies

The most complete source of video from the countdown, launch and mission of space shuttle Discovery is available here! Spaceflight Now's STS-121 archive includes more than 200 movies you can watch online or download to your computer.Video Collection

Throughout the week we'll be bringing you reports from the European Week of Astronomy and Space Science hosted by the University of Hertfordshire. In addition to news coverage here, check our blog for regular updates.

Older stars can birth planets

Recalculating the ages of young clusters of stars seems to solve apparent discrepancies between star ages and planetary disk formation times, according to Dr Tim Naylor of Exeter University, who presented his work at the European Week of Astronomy and Space Science.

The Chandra X-ray Observatory has revealed a stunning new image documenting the effects of a shock wave blasting through a galaxy, powered by jets of plasma unleashed by the galaxy's central black hole.

The Director General of the European Southern Observatory, Tim de Zeeuw, speaks with Astronomy Now editor Keith Cooper about the Extremely Large Telescope project and other aspects of his organisation's work.

The lack of current solar activity came under the spotlight today at the European Week of Astronomy and Space Science. "Activity is at an all time low since the start of the space age," says Professor Mike Lockwood of the University of Southampton and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

Most of the images of exoplanets released towards the end of 2008 may not be planets at all, according to new research presented at the European Week of Astronomy and Space Science being held at the University of Hertfordshire.

An Earth-like world found
Researchers using a European Southern Observatory telescope in Chile confirmed the existence of a rocky Earth-like planet orbiting in the Gliese 581 system where three other, larger worlds have been discovered.FULL STORY - includes video

Outbursting star creates double-lobed nebula

A cataclysmic variable that outburst three years ago now has debris expanding into a 'peanut-shaped' nebula, according to new Hubble Space Telescope images that have been released today at the European Week of Astronomy and Space Science.

An interstellar cloud of gas close to the galactic centre rich in a veritable soup of chemicals has produced its two most complex molecules yet, which are just a step away from organic molecules that are the basis of life as we know it.

The behaviour of the Milky Way's satellite galaxies suggest that Newton's gravitation doesn't apply to them, so say a team of scientists from Germany, Austria and Australia. If this is the case then is a modification of gravity needed?

Two astronomers from Durham University have claimed doubt about the idea of an accelerating Universe, in a talk at the 2009 European Week of Astronomy and Space Science at the University of Hertfordshire.

Tight ribbons of energy on the Sun called sigmoids have been found to cause explosive solar flare events. X-ray telescopes can see these sigmoids in the Sun's corona (it's tenuous outer atmosphere), but models produced by scientists now explain how they form.

The Great Nebula of Orion, M42, has been revealed to be a madhouse, containing hundreds of very young stars in close proximity, with powerful jets emanating from their poles and racing away at tens or even hundreds of kilometres per second.

2009 YearbookThis 132-page special edition features the ultimate observing guide for 2009, a review of all the biggest news stories of 2008, in depth articles covering all aspects of astronomy and space missions for 2009, previews of International Year of Astronomy events and much, much more. U.K. STORE

Take the tour!A 100-page special edition from the creators of Astronomy Now magazine, The Grand Tour of the Universe takes readers from one end of the Universe to the other and, in doing so, asks the question "just how big is the Universe?"U.K. STOREE.U. STOREU.S. & WORLDWIDE STOREInfinity RisingThis special publication features the photography of British astro-imager Nik Szymanek and covers a range of photographic methods from basic to advanced. Beautiful pictures of the night sky can be obtained with a simple camera and tripod before tackling more difficult projects, such as guided astrophotography through the telescope and CCD imaging.U.K. STOREE.U. STOREU.S. & WORLDWIDE STOREGuide to the ConstellationsAstronomy Now presents
this 100-page, full-colour guide to the 68 constellations visible from the British
Isles by Neil Bone, the respected amateur astronomer and writer.U.K. STOREE.U. STOREU.S. & WORLDWIDE STOREExploring MarsAstronomy Now is pleased to announce the publication of Exploring Mars. The very best images of Mars taken by orbiting spacecraft and NASA's Spirit and Opportunity rovers fill up the 98 glossy pages of this special edition!U.K. STOREE.U. STOREU.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE